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Mensah to join Sunderland on one-year loan deal

Ghana defender John Mensah will spend the rest of this season on loan at Premiership side Sunderland.

The 26-year-old makes the move from Olympique Lyon, to make Sunderland the 8th club in his professional career.

“I’m very delighted to join Sunderland today, it’s like a dream come true for me because it’s not easy to play in England,” Mensah said on Sunderland’s official website.

“I have a lot of experience from Italy and Europe, while I have played a lot of games for my country and competed in the World Cup and the African Nations Cup.

“Because of this it is not difficult for me to play in England. Now I hope I can do well here in Sunderland and I will listen and do whatever the coach tells me to do.”

Jonathan Roorda

Tags: african nations cup, coach, England, Europe, ghana, Italy, john mensah, loan deal, lot of games, Lyon, Mensah, professional career, Sunderland, World Cup

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Liverpool´s Benitez defends squad after Villa loss

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has jumped to the defence of his players and his system despite losing two of his opening three matches of the season.

The Reds were beaten 2-1 at Tottenham on the opening day of the campaign and were defeated 3-1 by Aston Villa at Anfield on Monday night.

Benitez lost key midfielder Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid in the summer and has only managed to bring in Glen Johnson, Alberto Aquilani, who is out injured for at least six weeks, and back-up defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

Tight finances at Anfield mean Benitez, whose only points came from a 4-0 win over Stoke last week, is unlikely to be able to bring in any more new players before next week’s transfer deadline.

The Spaniard has stuck with the same system, despite Alonso’s departure, and, having finished second last season, maintains his side can still mount a challenge, even though they have just three points from three matches.

“Our target is to win against Bolton and that’s it. We’re not thinking about anything else,” he said.

“Everything could change. The first game against Tottenham, if we had a penalty and in this game to score early like against Stoke could be a difference.

“Anyway, we weren’t playing well and we were giving the ball away against a team that is good on the counter attack and that was the difference.”

Despite being unable to strengthen in the transfer market, Benitez maintains his current squad is good enough.

“With this squad we were winning a lot of games in the last year and we have to do the same this year.

“I think that when you are losing you want to change and have to win. We lost against Tottenham and won against Stoke and we have to try to do the same against Bolton. It’s the only way.

“We were playing for one year (with the same formation) and took 86 points and now could be the same. It’s a question of being more precise and scoring when we have chances.”

Villa picked up three points at Anfield thanks to a Lucas own goal and Curtis Davies header and, after Fernando Torres scored for Liverpool, Ashley Young scored a third from the penalty spot.

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is still hoping to add a number of new defenders before Tuesday’s deadline.

O’Neill’s side fell away from a challenge for the Champions League places with a poor run from February last season.

But O’Neill is also confident in his team’s chances, and still angry at the reaction from his own fans during the 2-0 defeat to Wigan on the opening day.

“The run is there but we did actually finish sixth in the league, we did actually qualify for Europe and against Wigan we got booed off at the end of the game and that’s fine,” he said.

“We got beaten in the match, but we also got booed off 45 minutes competitively after we qualified for Europe so maybe we should have a look at that.

“I was disconcerted and everyone to their own but this is a young side, they will take criticism from me when it’s deserved and they’ll take the praise if they can and we’ve got some outstanding players.”

O’Neill hopes to sign Blackburn defender Stephen Warnock, as well as a number of other targets before the transfer window closes.

He added: “There are goals in the team and that will give them a bit more belief which is very important.

“The side is very young and we need a little bit more experience and I’m going to try to do something about that in the coming few days.”

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP)

Tags: alberto aquilani, Alonso, anfield, Curtis Davies, England, Europe, Fernando Torres, first game, glen johnson, Liverpool, liverpool manager rafael benitez, lot of games, Lucas, MADRID, Martin O'Neill, midfielder, monday night, opening day, rafael benitez, real madrid, reds, six weeks, Spaniard, stephen warnock, target, tight finances, tottenham, transfer deadline

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Sturridge targets Chelsea Champions League dream

LONDON (AFP) – Chelsea’s new teenage striker Daniel Sturridge targeted the Champions League on Thursday, but neatly sidestepped the thorny question of John Terry possibly heading for his former club Manchester City.

The 19-year-old left City to link-up with Carlo Ancelotti’s new-look Chelsea but his first day at training was overshadowed by the future of club skipper Terry.

City have already had a 30million-pound bid for the veteran defender rejected.

“My main motivation was to play in the Champions League,” said Sturridge, explaining his switch to Stamford Bridge.

“I am very ambitious and want to push myself to the highest level and play with the best in the world. I believe I can achieve big things at Chelsea.

“I am very young and I will be very patient because there are world-class players here. I am not going to get too upset if I am not playing because I know it is a long season and a lot of games.

“I want to win as many trophies as I can. I am not saying Man City have not got ambitions for the Champions League or for any competition but the main thing for me was to come to Chelsea to better me as a player.

“I will become a man here. The likes of John Terry will push me on to become a better player.”

But Sturridge refused to be drawn into the debate over Terry’s future.

“That’s a matter for John and Chelsea to deal with. I am just looking to make an impact at the club,” he said.

Tags: ambitions, carlo ancelotti, champions league, CHELSEA, Chelsea Champions, CITY, club manchester, english championship league, John, john terry, league dream, london, lot of games, man city, manchester city, motivation, skipper, stamford bridge, striker, targets, Terry, thorny question, trophies

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